Our School

Founded 1999

Gateway School Grand Opening

Gateway School, Creighton School District’s eighth school, held its Grand Opening Celebration and dedication on Saturday, January 23, 1999. We estimate that over 2000 staff, students and families were in attendance for this special event. The celebration began with a program at 10:00 am which featured students from Gateway School entering as a processional into the auditorium. Balloons, fiesta paper flowers, banners and artwork decorated the multi-purpose facility. The color guard and lady’s drill team from Camelback High School Presented the colors. Guest speakers included Governing Board president, Dayna Vaughn and Past Governing Board President, Audrey McKnight presenting school dedication plaques. Also speaking about the beautiful new school were Superintendent Dr. Donna Cranswick/Bernard and the Principal of Gateway School, Kathy Tegarden. Dr. Cranswick/Bernard thanked the many homeowners who sold their homes in order to build Gateway. She also recognized Creighton staff, past and present including former administrators, teachers and governing board members for the role they played in building the new school. Dr. Cranswick/Bernard introduced the architect, Jack Hofmann of Hofmann-Deitz Architects, Ltd. and Target General’s Dave Gornik and Rick Schmidt, construction superintendent and thanked them for the fine job of design and construction of Gateway School. Gateway’s student council officers, Maricela Alquicera and Aman Habte welcomed friends and family to the celebration and Gateway’s 2nd grade students, under the direction of music teacher, Loretta Newell, sang a medley of “Gateway” songs. Our special guest and key note speaker, Councilman Cody Williams encouraged children to take care of their school and community. He asked students to take a vow to never graffiti or deface the school or school property.

Cody Williams Pledge

I promise to take care of my school, to pick up paper on the ground, to never graffiti a building (to never put spray paint on these buildings), to eat all my vegetables, to listen to my teachers, and to be the best child a parent could have, and the best student a teacher could have. Viva Gateway!!

The students from Gateway, dressed all in their white and navy blue uniforms, performed our school theme “Sí se puede” (“Yes We Can”) poem with hand movements in English and Spanish for our guests. Creighton’s Laurie McCarty-Zelek/Ralston, Instructional Materials Technician presented her video, “A school is born”, with footage from the time construction began until the school’s opening day. The final event of the ceremony was the traditional ribbon cutting.

Following the ceremony, student guides provided tours of the school buildings and grounds. Free hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks were provided to the students and guests outside of the multi-purpose facility with entertainment provided by Mariachis and Folklorico Dancers. For the children, carnival games and activities filled the afternoon with lots of fun things to do!